5 Minutes
by TheDarkestShinobi
Summary: "It's counting down" "How much time is left?" "5 minutes" Five minutes to let go of the past, say goodbye to the future and live in the present.
1. 5

**TheDarkestShinobi: **this will be six short chapters.

**Start**

Sherlock let his head roll as he woke up. His mouth was open and squished against his shoulder until he snapped it up. He let out a low groan at the pain in his head before realizing his hands were tied; each of them to different legs of his chair. His feet were tied together and between the other two legs. He had been captured again. He sighed. John would be here to save him soon then. He narrowed his eyes in thought but he couldn't remember how or why he was here. He opened his eyes to see John no more than five feet away. His eyes widened as he started to struggle.

"John! Listen to me, hear my voice! Wake up!" Nothing. Sherlock Struggled but he had no leverage. "John!" John's eyebrows furrowed and his hands twitched. He was tied to his chair the same way Sherlock was. "**JOHN!**" Sherlock's voice didn't get any louder. John opened his eyes groggily. He narrowed them on Sherlock's form trying to focus.

"Sherlock? What's-" He stopped as he realized they were both tied up. He closed his eyes again and Sherlock tugged at the binds.

"I may be able to get out of these," he began as John opened his eyes. "It will take a while though." He paused at Johns horrified look. His breath was a quiver as he stared at something. Sherlock tried to see it but it was purposely put out of his vision.

"John." John swallowed "John, what is it?" John moved his lips, but no sound came out. He blinked three times before moving to look at Sherlock.

"There is a bomb behind you." John's voice was perfectly level and terrified at the same time. "and It's counting down."

Sherlock opened his mouth to speak before closing it. He closed his eyes and let out a breath. Then he opened his eyes and let it out.

"John," John gave a very forceful tug on the restraints before letting his shoulders fall. "How much time is left?"

"Five minutes."

**End**


	2. 4

"John, I'm sorry but-"

"Don't" He interrupts with a steady voice" I know. You don't have to say it." Sherlock has stopped trying to free himself but John is still fighting.

"Please, God," Sherlock starts in a steady voice "let me live." Sherlock's voice breaks John's thoughts. It's a calculating and curious tone.

"What?" John asks unbelieving, why would he say that?

"I asked you-"

"I remember that." John huffs.

"I was just wondering what you'll say this time." John shakes his head in exasperation.

"Well, I hadn't thought about it, you git!"

"Neither did I," Sherlock muses "I thought I'd be taken by surprise. Maybe it would be something witty. I don't know; not a lot of time to figure it out now."

"And you're going to think about it now?" His voice rises at the end and Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"It's pointless to dwell on the past." And Sherlock looked away, suddenly not wanting to look John in the eyes "and useless to wonder about the future." He looked back to John.

"I thought it would be a surprise too." John confessed. "Military, you, never seemed to be a peaceful boring life."

"You wouldn't have wanted that." Sherlock replies knowing and John smiles.

"Maybe I did." They both laughed at the ridiculousness of it. John's giggle against Sherlock's chuckle filled the room with sound.

"Okay, okay" John acquiesces after a few seconds. "I was kidding anyway." They both quieted.

"John." They locked eyes and John read the question in Sherlock's eyes before he could ask it.

"N**o. **I'm not going to count down with it!"

"Please." Sherlock's voice is soft as he closed his eyes. "You can see it, I can't. I can't not know." John watched the countdown as Sherlock spoke. He let out a huff of air.

"How much time is left?"

"Four minutes."


	3. 3

"Thank you." John nods in response knowing how hard it was for Sherlock to confess that, to ask for it.

"Have you always been… well… you know…"

"Me? Yes, other children didn't really like it." Sherlock suddenly smirked "their parents didn't either." John smiled at the thought of a small Sherlock making his deductions. Sherlock's smile matched his.

"I played Rugby." John confessed. "Loved the game with every fiber. I always had my team."

"You still watch it, I've noticed."

"You notice everything." John dismissed "They were there for me, through it all." He was talking about the divorce and Harry. He didn't have to say it.

"What happened after Afghanistan?" Sherlock was genuinely curious. The John Watson he first met didn't talk about Rugby or friends. He could suddenly see it as John fidgeted as much as the restraints allowed and looked away.

"Most of them went with me. None of them came back." John looked down. He was silent, though Sherlock could tell he was crying. He hadn't let himself cry for them before.

"My brother is going to miss me." Sherlock looked up. He was not going to cry. "John." He suddenly demanded.

"No. Sherlock, _**no**_**.**" John didn't want to know, he didn't want to count. Sherlock had to know and so he lifted his eyes.

"How much time is left?"

"Three minutes."


	4. 2

John sighed before looking at Sherlock again; well it was now or never.

"I was so alone, and I owe you so much." Better to have it all said. Sherlock finally looked back to John, his eyes finally dry again. John. John who had done so much for him; still doing so much for him. John could never know how much he had done if Sherlock had lifetimes to tell him.

"I owe you more." He said lowly and heard John's shuddering inhale. He didn't want John to cry his last moments away.

"You were alone; possible broken, but I," Sherlock's voice grew louder. "I wasn't whole before I met you." He confessed as he watched the emotions flicker on John's face. John was happy now, but also sad.

"Sherlock." John's voice was surprisingly soft.

"I was the freak. Before you I wasn't even human," he paused "to anyone."

"Well, Someone had to take care of you." Sherlock nodded.

"Yes. Thank you, for taking care of me." John smiled as he shook his head.

"You know," he started with a chuckle, "I thought" now he was laughing "you and I" he looked down "in the future" Sherlock suddenly knew what he was going to say and felt heat rising in his cheeks. "we we would"

"Stop. Don't do that." His voice was strong, scolding. "Don't spend time in a future that won't exist."

"You're right." John sighed. "Always bloody right." When Sherlock met John's eyes they were happy, not angry. Happy for how much longer. His throat felt tight. He had to know.

"How much time is left." John's eyes left his as the smile faded.

"Two minutes."


	5. 1

"It's too much time to know you're going to die." John frowned "and yet not nearly long enough."

"Yes," Sherlock agreed. "Whoever set the timer knew how long I'd be out for." Sherlock felt the dryness travel to his mouth. "And that I'd wake you."

"Oh no," John scolded "Don't you feel guilty now. You didn't feel guilty for heads in my fridge or ruining my love life or for jumping of a **bloody building** and having me think you dead for three years so don't you dare feel guilty about waking me up!"

Oh John, only john, Sherlock laughed with a roar and John joined him.

"Are we supposed to be laughing so much?" John questions as Sherlock quiets down looking away in thought.

"I don't know," he's suddenly quiet. "I've never died before." Sherlock's gaze lands on John's shoulder as John quiets.

"Didn't have much time for anything when I was shot. Didn't even wake up until I was back here."

"I hated waking up in hospitals." Sherlock made a face at his memories. "How much time is left?"

"One minute."


	6. 0

John let out a whoosh of air that Sherlock didn't think possible. Small man, small lungs.

"John. John, look at me." John did and Sherlock only saw his own panic reflected in the doctor's calm eyes. "Oh God, John. I'm sorry. I'm oh, so sorry about this." He closed his eyes as the tears broke him.

"Don't be." John's voice is soft and even, and soothing. "I've loved every minute of it."

"Me too." Sherlock lets out a shuddering breath and feels a tear fall from his chin. "And-and about us-about the future"

"Shhh" John's voice was almost a whisper and Sherlock's panic receded a bit. He did this too them.

"And don't you blame yourself." John's eyes looked into his knowingly. "I'm happy we're together this time." No sand coffin. No cement grave.

"I'd be lost without my blogger." Sherlock finally said.

"London will be lost without its consulting detective." John countered.

"At least the world will still have Mrs. Hudson." Sherlock's smile dies on his lips as John suddenly squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a long exhale. Sherlock feels his heart race.

Time!

They need more time!

How much time is left?

"Sherlock. You were bloody brilliant. You were fantastic; amazing." John is looking at him, staring straight into his eyes and Sherlock feels his lip tremble, "and you know what? So was I." Sherlock let a wide smile grace his face.

"How much time is left?" John's eyes left his and darted up before looking at the counter.

**End. **Hope you got everything you wanted out of this fic! Review!


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